Police are given more time to question suspects

ANTI-TERRORIST squad officers have been granted extra time to question an Algerian pilot and two other people arrested in Britain in connection with the attacks on New York and Washington.

Lotfi Raissi, 27, who is believed to have trained as a pilot in America, and his French wife, Sonia, 25, who works at Heathrow airport, were arrested by armed police at their flat in Colnbrook, near Slough, Berks, at 3am on Friday.

Omar Abu Imard, 44, a student at Aston University, was arrested in a simultaneous raid on his home in the Highgate area of Birmingham. At a special hearing on Saturday, magistrates granted police further time to question the men.

They can be held until Wednesday when police must charge them, release them or seek a further extension of the detention.

Raissi's brother Mohammed, 29, who was also arrested on Friday, has been released without charge and returned to his home in Hounslow, west London.

Kamel Raissi, their uncle, said the suggestion that his nephews were involved in terrorism was totally untrue. He said: "The allegations are all absolute rubbish. It is ludicrous to suggest that they had anything to do with the bombings. In a few days' time, the police will have to apologise and that is what we are expecting."

Noor Raissi, wife of Mohammed, also dismissed the idea that her husband or his brother were terrorists. "He has been released and no charges have been brought," said Mrs Raissi who works at Heathrow airport as a lounge assistant for Saudi Airlines.

"He is innocent. He doesn't have a clue what it's all about. He doesn't have anything to do with terrorism. We have a normal life and now it has been turned upside down."

Police scientists spent Friday and Saturday searching Lotfi and Sonia Raissi's ground floor flat and took a number of items away for further examination. Raissi was arrested by the anti-terrorist squad at the request of the FBI which had his name on a "watch list" of 200 people.

He arrived in Britain at the beginning of this year and has been studying for theoretical exams to obtain a European pilot's licence.

He enrolled as a student for a 12-month course at Four Forces Aviation, a flying school near his home. "He has been studying academic and theoretical courses for a European licence," said Frode Iversen, managing director of Four Forces.

"I believe he already holds an American pilot's licence. He has done no flying here. There was no reason to suspect him. He was a normal guy who did not stand out in any way.

"It is quite normal for people to take exams to hold both American and European pilot's licences. There are probably a couple of hundred foreign students enrolled on courses in Britain at any time."

Before his arrest Raissi denied any involvement with terrorism. "I have heard stories of FBI agents checking many trainee pilots out, here and in America.

"I am an airline pilot in Algeria but over here I am just a student. I have been living here nine months now with my wife, training for my European conversion. I do have a relative in America who is training as a pilot and he has been interviewed by the FBI just because he is a Muslim."

In Birmingham, police searched a house at Dymoke Road, removed some property and seized a car for examination. The arrests are the first in Britain following the attacks in America although police raided a house in Brixton, south London, last week.

It is believed that some of the 19 hijackers involved in the suicide attacks may have passed through Britain several months ago. Security sources believe that people in Britain helped them with travel arrangements, finance and communications.